US says diplomatic convoy in Sudan came under fire, no one harmed

ANKARA (AA) – A US diplomatic convoy came under fire in Sudan amid clashes between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Force (RSF), the US secretary of state said Tuesday.

“I can confirm that yesterday we had an American diplomatic convoy that was fired on,” said Antony Blinken, who is currently in Japan for a meeting of G-7 foreign ministers.

The attack, which is being investigated, was “reckless, irresponsible and unsafe,” he said, adding that “all of our people are safe and unharmed.”

Blinken said initial reports indicate that the attack was carried out by fighters associated with RSF.

On Monday, the EU ambassador in Sudan, Aidan O’Hara, was assaulted at his residence in the capital Khartoum.

The Sudanese army and RSF blamed each other for Monday’s attacks.

Early on Tuesday, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, said he had a phone call with Blinken in which they discussed “pressing issues in Sudan.”

“Honored to have a vital conversation with US Secretary of State, Mr. Antony Blinken. We discussed pressing issues in Sudan and our shared dedication to freedom, justice, and democracy for our people,” Hemedti said in a statement.

On Monday, White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby called on Sudan’s warring parties to “end hostilities immediately without preconditions.”